Electromagnetic lock-opening system



July 20, 1948. T. J. WOOLMER, JR 2,445,376

ELECTROMAGNETIC LOCK-OPENING SYSTEM Filed Dec. 16, 1944 .w J in,

Patented July 20, 1948 UNITED STATES PATLENT o-FFicE ELECTROMAGNETIC LOCK- OPENING SYSTEM Thomas J. Woolmer, J12, Baltimore, Md.

Application December 16, 1944, Serial No. 568,526

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to permutation locks, especially to an 'electro-magnetic lock-opening system, in the patent-class 200, subclass 45,

Theprimary object of this invention is to provide a primary series of double-pole switches or switch-couplets and a secondary series of doublepole switches or switch-couplets all connected by conductors in such correlation that when any switch-couplets of the secondary series are simultaneously closed while'only their complemental switch-couplets are'ope'n, the lock will thereby be opened: but'if any switch-couplet be closed while its comp'lementa'l switch-couplet is closed, the lock will not be opened.

Other objects and important features are pointed out or implied in the following details of description, in connection with the accompanying diagrammatic drawing in which the reference numerals correspond to those that refer to similar parts in the following.

In broad terms, the invention consists of the combination of a source .of electric energy or E. M. F., for instance, abattery I; a lock-operating electric-conducting system that is normally in circuit with said sourc and includes a solenoid 2, a circuit-closing element 3, and a series of alternately arranged primary and secondary manipulative switches; a magnetic plunger or lock-bolt 4 in and protruding from the solenoid and in. proper relation with a keeper 5 and alockcasing (a fragment shown at 6) to constitute a look; a circuit-breaking system of electric conductors normally in circuit with said source and including a series of alternately arranged primary and secondary manipulative switches, and electromagnetic means to move said circuit-closing element to its circuit-opening position and thereby deenergize the lock-operating system, or prevent energizing of the latter; insulating elements 1 rigidly uniting or coupling the primary switches of the lock-operating system to the primary switches of the circuit-breaking system in independently operable couplets; insulating elements 8 rigidly uniting or coupling the secondary switches of the lock-operating system to the secondary switches of the circuit-breakin system in independently operable switch-couplets.

Three of the six primary switch-elements of the lock-operating system are shown at i7, 2! and 25, in closed relation, the other three being in open relation, these switch-elements being alternately arranged normally in circuit with the six secondary switch elements of the lock-operating system; four of these secondary switch-elements having symbols applied thereto, viz, 33, 28,

4-1 and 14, in the upper series .of switch-couplets.

At 38 is shown only the uppermost one of the six primaryswitch-elements of the circuit-breaking System, and these are alternately arranged normally in circuit with the six secondary switch-elements of the circuit-breaking system; two of these secondary switch elements having symbols 36, 36 applied thereto at the upper-right.

The above-defined combination of inter-related systems is preferably enhanced by application .of two substantially counterpart sets of indexing characters which may be either alphabetical or numerical, letters here being used to avoid confusion with reference to numerals, also to be combined into words or syllables that the .user can easily remember. In the drawings, these in-- dexing characters constitute the first five letters of the alphabet in each of the two sets; and here,

it is noted that the A of the primary series (at left in the drawing) and the A of the secondary series (at top in the drawing) are complemental to one another thru the conductors 9 and ID of the lock-operating system and thru the conductors l I and i2 of the circuit-breaking series; also, it should be specially noted that the A- switch-couplet of the primary series is open while the A-switch-couplet of the secondary series is closed. Likewise, the B-switch-couplet and F switch-couplet of the primary series are open while the B-switch-couplet and the F-switchcouplet of the secondary series are closed.

The mode of operation is as follows: Assuming that all the switch-couplets of the primary series (at left) are closed while all the switch-couplets of the secondary series (at top) are open; and the user now Wants to set or prepare the combination for operating the lock-bolt 4 by memorizing and using the indexing letters BAF (the first three in Baille); he first goes to a locked box (not here shown) that contains the series of primary switch couplets, and opens only those that are indexed A, B, and F; thereafter, when he wishes to energize the lock-operating system, he simultaneously closes the switch-couplets A, B and F of the secondary series (at top), so the energized solenoid immediately pulls the plunger or bolt 4 from the keeper 5.

The electric circuit in the foregoing mode of operation is as follows: From the battery or source I, in directions indicated by arrows, the current goes through conducting wires and switch-elements l3, l4, l5, l6, l1, I8, I9, 20, 2|, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 21, 28, 29, 3|], 3|, 3, and 32 to the source or battery I. In the foregoing, the solenoid 2 is considered as part of the conductor 13,

and of course the contacts at ends of the conducting wires are considered as switch-elements.

Now, assuming that the switch-couplet at F (at upper right) had been left open while its complemental switch F (at left) was closed, it is obvious that there would be no electric current through the open switches FF, hence, none thru the solenoid 2. On the other hand, assume that the upper switch-couplet E had been closed while the lower or left switch-couplet E was closed; the current would then have been conducted along thru the wires and switch-elements 34, 35, 36, 31, 38, I2, and thence thru the solenoid 39 and wire 40 to the battery I, so its eifect on the correlated solenoid-plunger would result in opening the circuit at 3 before the current could reach the solenoid 2 and before the switch element 4| would close with its correlated contacts 42 and 43. Similar current-tracings thru other assumedclosed switch-couplets would reveal the fact that the unlocking of the device with this combination can occur only when each open switchcouplet of one series has its complemental switchcouplet closed, and when each closed switchcouplet of one series has its complemental switchcouplet open.

The invention is not limited to any definite number of switch-couplets in either series, nor limited to any specific arrangement or location thereof; but it is essential that the setting switchcoup'lets be normally concealed and guarded against tampering by unauthorized persons; and important (though not essential) that the indexing characters of the respective switch-couplets :be placed so as to avoid confusion and facilitate proper operation of the switch-elements with respect to their respective complements.

In addition to the complemental pairs of switch-couplets, there may be a number of imitations of the switch-insulating-elements, viz, a

number of same that are not electrically connected and which are dispersed among those that are electrically connected, thus increasing the difilculty of unauthorized persons who may attempt to operate the combination. Each element 8, whether electrically connected or not, is pro- 'vided with a reduced inner end to receive an opening in a spring (not shown) for returning it to its normal undepressed position when released by the user.

At 44 is shown a spring for returning the circuit closer 3 to its normal closing position when the solenoid 39 is ineffective.

Though I have described this embodiment of my invention specifically, I have no intention to limit my patent-protection to the precise details as here described in the foregoing, for the inventlon is susceptible of numerous changes within the scope of the inventive ideas as herein implied and claimed.

I claim the following as my invention:

In combination with an appropriate source of electro-mot-ive force, a lock-operating electricconducting system that is normally in circuit with said source and includes a solenoid and a circuit-closing element and a series of alternately arranged primary and secondary manipulative switch-elements, a magnetic plunger in and protruding from said solenoid and adapted to be put in a proper relation with a keeper to constitute a lock-bolt; a circuit-breaking system of electric conductors normally in circuit with said source and including a series of alternately arranged primary and secondary manipulative switch-elements, and electro-magne'tic means to move said circuit-closing element to circuit-opening position and thereby prevent said source from energizing said lock-operating system; insulating elements respectively between and rigidly united with the primary switch-elements of the lock-opcrating system and circuit-breaking system so as to form a series of independently operable primary or settin switch-couplets; and insulating elements respectively between and rigidly united with the secondary switch elements of the lockoperating system and circuit-breaking system so as to form a series of independently operable lockopera-ting switch-couplets in which each second ary switch-element of the circuit-breaking system is operatively connected mechanically with its rigidly united complemental secondary switchelement of the lock-operating system while being electrically disconnected therefrom.

THOMAS J. WOOLM'ER, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 516,478 Donnelly Mar. 13, 1894 893,902 Cleary a- July 21, 1908 

